During World War II when German shells were raining on British Lancaster planes there was one man who could be relied upon to get the crew home.

Alfred George Mullins, a former RAF pilot who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his bravery and quick thinking, has died aged 86.

He was one of a few thousand to be awarded the prestigious decoration by King George VI in 1949.

Mr Mullins was born in Bristol on March 4 1922. He was one of six children and lived with his family in the Old Market area of the city.

Growing up Mr Mullins played rugby for Bristol Old Boys and would play again when he joined the RAF.

He started his career as a butcher but at the age of 17, he joined the RAF as a flight mechanic and worked his way up through the ranks to Flight Lieutenant. During his active service period he travelled all over the world including postings to Australia.

His son Colin Mullins said his father often spoke about his experiences in the war, particularly in his later years.

He said: "I know he had many commendations from his Squadron Leader. When he received the DFM it said he was always relied on to get the crew home; he always did. He was also commended for showing great initiative and courage. I think he may have even been in a victory parade in Bristol when all the troops came home.

"One of the stories I remember dad telling us was on a mission when the plane was coming in to land, the wheels locked and wouldn't go down, I think there was a problem with the hydraulics. Dad made everyone in the crew get all the available liquid in the cabin to lubricate the system. Down went the pilot's soup and all the coffee from the flasks... somehow it worked and they managed to land safely."

It wasn't always safe landings for the crew though. During one flight operation over France the undercarriage of the plane collapsed.

Daughter Anne Barnes, said: "Apparently the plane landed halfway down the runway and then slid into a nearby potato field. Dad said he remembered everyone running once they landed and the people in the field were so scared they had thrown potatoes at them."

There were to be more dangerous missions yet to come.

Ms Barnes said: "One of the most emotional stories my father told us was on a return flight from a raid near a munitions factory. Dad, as flight engineer at the time, was piloting the plane for the return leg. His friend Bob was navigating and had leaned left in order to plot the co-ordinates.

"At that moment flak (anti-aircraft gunfire) exploded, and the shrapnel hit Bob in the head and neck. If he hadn't have been leaning over that shrapnel would have hit dad.

Dad then had to navigate and fly his plane back while trying to keep his friend alive. Sadly Bob died as the aircraft touched the landing strip. Just a month before dad had been best man at his wedding."

It was in the RAF that Mr Mullins met his wife Audrey May. She was from Plymouth and worked in the officers' mess.

During a night raid Mr Mullins was waiting for a drink when he met the woman he would be married to for almost 64 years. The story went, that during black outs when the couple wanted to meet up Mr Mullins would whistle so his wife-to-be would know where he was.

Mr and Mrs Mullins enjoyed an active retirement and had holidays in Australia and on the QE2.

Ms Barnes said: "Dad enjoyed gardening, making homemade wine and word searches and was known to many friends and neighbours as Mr Fix-it because he was a handyman."

Mr Mullins had two cancer operations and fought MRSA and c.difficile before his death on August 15.

Mr Mullins leaves his wife Audrey, four children John, Colin, Martin and Anne, 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.